New Garmin software aims to prevent runway incursions

Garmin said Textron Aviation received the initial certification for ROA in its Cessna Caravan, which is equipped with Garmin’s G1000 NXi avionics suite. The company expects ROA to be certified in its G5000 supplemental type certificate for the Cessna Citation Excel, XLS, XLS+, and XLS Gen2 in September, and in the coming months on more aircraft with Garmin integrated flight decks ranging from the G1000 NXi to the G5000.

ROA is aimed at the broad general aviation market and is part of Garmin’s overall effort to help pilots avoid potential hazards at and around airports. The initial certification comes at a time of heightened awareness and frequency of incursion reports including near misses.

“With the rate of runway incursions increasing, there is a real need for increased safety tools in the cockpit,” said Phil Straub, executive vice president and managing director of aviation at Garmin. “Equipping pilots with this technology can reduce the risk of runway incursions and help provide confidence for pilots navigating busy and complex airports.”

ROA uses GPS and ADS-B data to monitor and analyze airport traffic and alert flight crews of potential conflicts. The system provides visual and aural warnings on the pilot’s primary flight display that vary with urgency, ranging from situations that pose no immediate collision hazard to possible collision risks within 15 seconds. Specific situations that warrant alerts include aircraft landing, taking off, stopped or taxiing on the runway, and any traffic on the runway at which the aircraft is holding.

ROA joins Garmin’s other airport-safety systems, called Terminal Safety Solutions, including Runway Overrun Awareness and Alerting System, Garmin Safe Taxi, and Garmin SurfaceWatch.